Human Rights Archive Zimbabwe

2 Executive summary Widespread human rights violations were inflicted upon white farmers and black farm workers by agents of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s government during the seizures of whiteowned farms from 2000 to 2005. In addition to the human rights abuses, immense financial losses were inflicted upon the farm owners. Farm workers suffered catastrophic loses of income, habitation, health services and access to clean water and sanitation that contributed to a high death rate, according to the report. The combination of the human rights abuses and loss of livelihood have contributed to a growing economic and humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe. According to this survey of 187 former commercial farmers conducted over six months in 20062007, only 6% reported that they are still on their farms. Seventy-five percent said they are Zimbabwean citizens and 65% still reside in Zimbabwe. This is significant as it shows that most white farmers identified themselves as Zimbabweans, not British. A total of 53,022 people – farmers, farm workers and their families – were identified by the survey respondents as having experienced at least one human rights violation. Many experienced multiple abuses. These abuses included assaults, torture, being held hostage, unlawful detention and death threats. If this figure from the limited survey is extrapolated to include all commercial farms nation-wide, the number of people suffering abuses during the farm seizures could be more than 1 million. The total financial losses incurred by white farmers responding to the survery, according to their own estimates, are US$368 million. If the survey’s figures are extrapolated to the entire commercial farming sector the figure is an astronomical US$8.4 billion, according to the report. The results of the survey are line with other estimates by economists, states the report. The amount of damages, for which the Zimbabwe government should be liable, giving its overt validation of the land invasions, would have catastrophic consequences for an economy already in precipitate decline. A Preliminary Report on Human Rights Violations on Commercial Farms, 2000 to 2005.